In addition to finding the gifts and wearing Christmas sweaters with panache, learning how to survive holiday travel is one of the best skill sets any of us can develop this month.

Is it possible to learn to enjoy hours in a car or plane? I’m not sure – but it is possible to hate them less.

How to Survive Holiday Travel

Here are my best suggestions for how to survive holiday travel, honed by 30+ years of multi-day, interstate Christmas road trips.

Bring awesome snacks

Travel makes most people cranky, as does low blood sugar. Let’s not add fuel to the fire.

Pack snacks that will balance your blood sugar and help you stay hydrated. Cucumber spears, celery sticks, and cherry tomatoes are full of water, easy to pack, and pair nicely with some store-bought hummus. Clementines are super portable, easy to peel and will make your car smell good.

Wear the best, most awesome travel outfit

Let’s talk about shoes or boots that slip off. Let’s talk about layers so you can cover up or uncover as the temperature dictates. Let’s talk about big, snuggly cardigans and a huge scarf that can be used as a pillow or blanket.

Remove opportunities for stress + miscommunication

You now what I mean. The gps cuts out five miles away from the cabin you rented; your phone dies; the hotel loses your reservation.
Of course, you can’t prepare for every single contingency, but you can drastically reduce the likelihood of various mishaps.

You could:

Double check that you’ll have phone and data service if you’re going somewhere rural or remote

If you’re flying and checking luggage, make sure your essentials are in your carry-on

Think about what didn’t work last time you made this holiday trip – and plan/pack accordingly

If you have special dietary needs, talk to your hosts ahead of time – this script will help!

BYO Entertainment

Most of your travel will consist of sitting – at the gate, on the plane, in the car – and sitting is not terribly fun. Pack a light, fun novel or a little book of crosswords or suduku. Make sure your phone or tablet is loaded with movies and podcasts.

I actually like to use travel time as an opportunity to disconnect from technology and do a bit of old school people watching or a play a game of Would You Rather? If you’re in the car, play license plate bingo or name that tune.

Channel some travel zen

We all know that getting wound up by the snow-delayed flight or the heavy traffic is pointless. It’s also worth remembering that in travel, and often in life, things will take twice as long as you expect and cost a good bit more. So give your budget and your schedule a bit of wiggle room and you’ll be a lot happier.

It’s also worth remembering that the annoying guy causing a scene at baggage claim? He’s not trying to be malacious, he’s just stressed out and tired, like everybody else. And the baby that’s howling behind you? She’s not on a personal mission to give you a migraine.

Take a few deep breaths, imagine yourself tucking into some mashed potatoes alongside your favorite aunt and try to remember that getting there at 5:45 instead of 4:30 is not going to be the end of the world as we know it.

Use your travel time to do something you love or have been meaning to do

If you can’t stomach the idea of sitting idly on a plane for three hours, you can certainly use your time to read A Very Important Book you’ve been meaning to get to, plot your plans for 2016, write your Christmas cards or work on your novel.

One of my favorite things to do on any return flight is write a list of my 100 favorite memories from the trip while they’re all fresh in my mind. It’s slightly more rewarding than reading the inflight magazine.

Find a little pocket of space or time

I don’t know about you, but for me, just being in an enclosed space with lots other people is exhausting.

Consider not carpooling to Hannukah with your cousin who pushes your buttons. Head to your departure gate way, way early before anyone else gets there. If you can afford it, book a hotel room instead of sleeping on the pull-out sofa in your grandma’s basement.

6 Comments

The hubby and I were talking last night that we can't wait until we have a Christmas where we don't have to travel anywhere and can just stay home. But these tips are great for helping to calm the crazy holiday season!

Rules to live by! I think a lot of people just can't get over the travel stress, when if you look at it as part of the adventure (and bring stuff that keeps you from going crazy and getting bored) it makes it a lot more fun…or at least tolerable.